CULINARY wizards from across the county cooked up a storm along the riverside in Abingdon this weekend.

Hundreds poured into Rye Farm Meadow to indulge in the finest dishes at the Abingdon Food and Drink Festival.

Torrential rainstorms failed to stop foodies enjoying cask ales, slow-cooked meats and international street food at the annual festivities.

Jake Swinhoe, of Kennington's Riverford Organic Vegetables, was one of more than 60 traders with stalls which stretched across the meadow.

The 45-year-old said the free festival, which hit the town on Saturday, was great for bringing the community together.

Father-of-two Mr Swinhoe added: "It was a really good day. It was a shame about the weather because we had a lot of thunderstorms and torrential rain but it was a really nice event, really well-attended.

"For me, it's really nice to be there and see plenty of our customers who come along and say hello and have a chat, and meet people who are going to become new customers.

"It's a beautiful site and it's nice to make use of that for events like this."

It was the third time crowds of food lovers from across the county have munched on treats and had a few sips of their favourite tipple at the town's festival.

The event returned to the town this year with a bigger venue and more stalls after previous events held at the Miele Experience Centre.

Youngsters had a ball learning to bake their own pizzas, crafting decorative chocolate designs and sweet ice cupcakes.